Oroho votes “no” equal pay

Posted by Sussex County Democratic Committee33sc on January 25, 2017

On Saturday, more than 2 million people clogged streets throughout the world demonstrating for women’s rights: to reproductive choice, to self-determination, to parity with men. On Monday, Stephen Oroho, Sussex County’s Republican state senator, let New Jersey women know he wasn’t listening.

Described by the legislature as a law that “concerns equal pay for women and employment discrimination,” Senate Bill 992 was passed 29-44 last year and then vetoed by the governor.

It would have required 27 senatorial votes to override the veto, but on Monday only 23 voted in favor. Several senators, including three Democrats, were absent.

Oroho, not surprisingly given his record, was a “no” vote.

Additionally, the trend of state governments following the Federal stampede to the right, three of the five Republicans who voted in favor of the measure last year changed their minds this time around.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney intends to reintroduce the measure at a later date when, he said, a “full contingent” of senators, the majority of whom are Democrats, would be present.

Failing that, one would hope that the next election will see Sussex County replace Oroho with a senator who understands and supports the equality of women.